Nobody will accuse Sandy Alomar, Jr., of being overqualified to manage the Boston Red Sox.

That does not mean he is unqualified. As the Sox seek a manager, Wednesday's session between the Cleveland bench coach and Boston media was probably the most interesting yet in this process, among the three candidates who have already interviewed.

“Some people take different routes. I choose this way,’’ said Alomar, who interviewed at Fenway Park yesterday. “I learned tremendously on my own. I feel like I’m prepared to manage a major league team.’’

He probably is. It's still hard to picture the managing of the Boston Red Sox, with its huge payroll and crazed market and internal issues that are being treated as already solved, as an entry level job.

Alomar still offers some appealing qualities. He is supremely respected, and as a former 20-year major leaguer, he has the highest profile of any candidate on the interview list.

It shouldn't matter, but hiring a Latino manager in Boston would make a great statement. Maybe the best statement is that Alomar is being judged on his merits and his potential, and wants it that way himself.

Alomar made a good first impression Wednesday, as the Boston Herald reported. He is convinced mutual respect is the way to go with players and a manager, with no mention made of whether that he thought that might have been absent at the end of the 2011 season.

Alomar also thinks a catching career makes his a good man to handle pitchers. Makes sense.

Meanwhile, as MLB.com reports, the Red Sox continue to watch the free agent market and see how much it will challenge them to resign David Ortiz and Jonathan Papelbon.

Boston appears to be taking a calculated risk. They want both players back, but they don't want to overaggressively commit money they may not need to spend, if the two free agents attract less interest than each of them hopes.

That runs the risk of losing them, especially Papelbon, who is drawing interest from the Phillies. It seems as if Ryan Madson's return is Philadelphia's first preference, but it hasn't happened yet.

As for Ortiz, a brief trial balloon was floated that he could play first base in the National League. That seemed to go nowhere, so Papi's choices are much more limited.

Stay tuned. The Red Sox will interview managerial candidates Torey Lovullo on Friday and Gene Lamont on Saturday, and that might be it.